1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the cargo handling art and more particularly to a cargo compacting method and apparatus for compacting a cargo laterally of a flat bed cargo hauling vehicle on which the cargo is positioned for the purpose of eliminating excessive projection or overhang of the cargo beyond sides of the cargo bed.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The primary intended use of the present invention is compacting a cargo consisting of stacked compressible bales of hay, straw, and the like positioned on a flat bed cargo hauling vehicle. For this reason, the invention will be described in this particular context. It will become evident as the description proceeds, however, that the invention conceivably may be used to advantage with other types of compressible cargo bales as well as other types of compactable cargoes. In the ensuing description, the term "straw" is used in a generic sense to mean any and all hay, straw and similar materials which are commonly handled and transported in bales for use as livestock fodder, as a covering for growing sod and other plants, and for other purposes.
Straw is commonly baled directly in the field immediately after harvesting. Each straw bale consists of a relatively compact mass of straw bound with a rope or wire. Mass transportation of such straw bales from one location to another is accomplished on flat bed cargo vehicles, such as large flat bed trucks or trucks having flat bed trailers. The straw bales are placed on the flat cargo bed of the cargo vehicle with the aid of a fork-lift to provide a straw bale cargo consisting of several layers of bales, for example seven layers, stacked one on top of the other. Each layer normally has approximately the same length and width as the cargo bed on which the bales are stacked.
One of the difficulties involved in stacking and transporting straw bales on a flat cargo bed is avoiding excessive projection or over-hang of the bales beyond the longitudinal sides of the cargo bed. The law establishes the permissible maximum projection or over-hang. A trucker hauling a cargo of straw bales which exceeds this maximum over-hang is subject to being stopped and issued a citation by the police and may be liable for the payment of a substantial fine or other penalty. Accordingly, when loading straw bales on a flat cargo bed, the loading forklift operator normally exercises some effort to place the bales in a manner which avoids excessive over-hang of the bales. This is difficult, time consuming, and hence costly to accomplish using only a fork-lift, however, with the result that many trucks on the highway have illegal loads.